Damn all six of you, nations!

I have to take 4.5 days holiday in the next month or else I lose it - I know, tough problem.

I couldn't really take off a chunk of time seeing as I just started my new job, so I decided to do a few long weekends. I looked at the calendar. I'm moving at the end of Feb, so I booked a long weekend off for that. I want to go to Calais in France to check out the Vimy Ridge Centre, so I booked a four day weekend (the Friday and Monday off) at the end of March for that.

That leaves just one day to take. I looked at what days I had taken, picked the Friday that was exactly between the two, and decided I would go to Edinburgh on that mid-March weekend. I didn't bother to check to see if I could get a hotel before I booked the time off, as I figure - who would be going to Edinburgh in the middle of winter?

It's only a 4 hour train ride from Sheffield, where I am working, so I didn't think I needed to put too much thought into the trip until it got closer to the date.

Today, I go to look at hotels or B&Bs to stay at, and there are all so expensive!

"What the heck is going on?" I wonder. So I google - "Edinburgh march 14." Looking over the results...

Literary pub tour, doubt that is drawing in the crowds from out of town, though it would have been interesting to do if I had been able to find a hotel. Sleep course, nope, probably not the big event in town... RBS Six Nations Rugby with Ireland v. Scotland. Ahhhh!

I check the weekends before and after - no problems to get cheap places to stay. Just the weekend when the rugby is in town, and all the hotels are booked - no doubt with both Scots from out of town as well as the Irish travelling over from the Emerald Isle.

I was right - in general, nobody is going to Edinburgh in the winter. I just randomly picked the wrong weekend. Damn rugby fans, spoiling my plans.

yeah, well, those six nations have completely taken over our television with no negotiation. I know, you get rugby any time you want in a lot of the world, but here in Philly, its pretty few and far between. So when the 6 nations comes on, my husband commandeers the couch...and I end up here on tp!

I've been losing my other half to those dang rugby games! Who wants to head to a pub at 8 in the morning to eat a terribly fry and watch a bunch of men pull their ears out? I stay home and do laundry...

generally, i enjoy watching rugby. i mean, all those muscles, the butts in the air, the brute strength. men gratuitously grabbing one another while all you guys seem oblivious to the deep, sexual overtones. what's not to like? as a girl, i think it also helps if you don't grow up with the sport for further appreciation of it later in life, as well as a more peaceful existence with one's spouse. super 14 coming up...i'll probably watch some of it. (although after 5 years of marriage, getting up at 2 in the morning has kind of lost its charm.) But for some reason, 6 Nations just does not fit into MY schedule! and it seems like it is ALWAYS on. Setanta must rerun those games 3 more times a week, and my husband will watch every single one.

Yup, spent the first night sleeping on the couch of the youth hostel that didn't have my reservation despite my €5.00 deposit made online, and spent €180 for one night at that fancy hotel. I guess it's alright, as it averages out to only €92.50 per night, which isn't too bad...